Life-saving raft.



M. PIOSECKI.

LIFE SAVING RAFT..

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. Isls.

' 268, l 47.., v Patented June 1l, 1918.

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@Humana M. PIOSECKI. LIFE SAVINGQHAFT. APPLICATION FILED MAR.23. 1913.

Paten-ted June 4T, 1918.

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WTE@ STATES .PATENT i @FFl@F.

\ `:MICHAEL ProsncKr, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

` j LIFE-sAvme RAFT.

recaiga.

To al! y11j/wm, 't may concern:

Beit known that I, MICHAEL PIOSEGKI, a citizen of Poland, residing at Baltimore, State .of Maryland, have invented certain new and 4useful Improvements in Life-Sav- `ing Rafts, of which the following is a specilication. L j j f This invention relates toimprovements in life-saving rafts and has as its special object the provision of a raft which 'isV` substantially non-sinkable and which is collapsible so as` to occupy but a relatively limited space when in a folded condition A further object is to provide a life-saving raft which may be readily carried aboard a ship Without occupying the room usually regarded as necessary and which is provided with rails so engaged with the side walls of the raft as to prevent a person from being swept overboard.

These and other like objects are attained by the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a material part of this disclosure, and in whichz Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a life-saving raft made in accordance with the invention, and indicating its application.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, drawn to a reduced scale.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 4L is an end view of the same, and

Fig. 5 is another view of the raft, shown in a folded condition as when carried on board a ship.

The invention comprises a pair of like tanks 10, formed inthe shape of an elongated rectangle, and made of boiler plate or like material, riveted together at the joints so as to be water-tight and having arcuate or curved bottoms 11 adapted to be presented to the surface of the waves.

The opposite upper sides 12 are relatively level so as to furnish a substantial platform upon which a firm foot hold may be obtained. These two elements are joined side by side, by a pair of heavy hinges 14, and are maintained in a normally extended position,

due to the torsional effect of a powerful coiled spring 15, the extending arms 16 of which are secured to the upper surfaces 12, of the rafts by rigid clips 17, thus holding the two' sections of the raft normally in an open operative position,

` i Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 23, 1918. Serial No. 224,173.

l l Fixed upon the sides of the raft are extending brackets 18, in which are pivotally engaged `levers v20, and passing through the outer ends of the levers are bars 21, forming a substantial railing which extends completely around the outline of the raft sections. `These levers are normally held in a raised position so that the rails are in loperative condition due to the pull of the cables23, their ends being secured by hooks 24, Xed near` `the upper ends of the lever 20, while the other ends 'of the cables are engaged with rings 25, set in the upper surface of the raft.

Also secured in the outer surfaces of the raft sides, are rings 26, by means of which the raft can be towed or secured to a pier or ships side.

When the raft is not in use it may be folded along the joint line above the hinges 14, and raised by a suitable winch or other apparatus carried on board ship, the same also permitting the device to be passed overboard at any desired time, and immediately upon striking the surface of the Water, the spring 15, will operate, so as to unfold the two sections of the raft as seen in the position indicated in Fig. 1.

The construction and operation of the invention is believed to be obvious from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the drawings, and it will be seen that a safe and eective device for the purpose has been disclosed.

L Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is.

1. A life-raft comprising a pair of elongated rectangular water tight tanks hingedly joined along their longitudinal edge upon which they are capable of folding, means for normally maintaining said tanks in an unfolded position, railings carried bythe exterior edges of said tanks and means for supporting said railings in operative position.

2. A life-raft comprising a pair of hingedly engaged sections, each of said sections forming a separate watertight tank having an arcuate bottom and a level upper surface, means for holding saidsections normally extended side by side, levers piv-k otally engaged in the outer edges of said sections, rails carried at the u per ends of said levers, and means for olding said levers in a vertical position.;

3. A life-raft comprising a pair of elongated watertight tanks, hinges connected between said tanks, a spring disposed upon the upper surface of said tanks adapted to hold them extended horizontally, levers hingedly engaged upon the outer edges and face of said tanks adapted to hold the same 2o extended horizontally outward, a plurality of brackets engaged? upon the ends and sides of said tanks, levers pivotally engaged with said brackets, eyes formed at the upper ends of said levers, other eyes secured at 25 the upper surface oit' said tank, flexible connectins-extending between said eyes whereby said levers may be held in a raised operative position, hand rails fixed in the outer ends of said levers, said rails inclosing the 30 .upper surface of said tanks, and other eyes formed fupon the surfaceand edges of said tank whereby said' raft may be ,seeured.

In testimony whereof Ithave aliixed my signature. p

MICHAEL `llOS-EGIH. Witness:

PETER: TwARnewIcz,

'Gbplesof this patent may be obtained Vfor dive centszeach, by addressing the "G'ommisaioner of Patents,

` Washington, D. 0. l 

